The High Court has barred the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, from ordering the erection of roadblocks within the Nairobi Central Business District In a ruling delivered by Justice Lawrence Mugambi, the court declared that the actions of the National Police Service on Monday, July 7, had infringed on key constitutional rights, including freedom of movement, assembly, and protest as enshrined in Articles 37 and 39 of the Constitution of Kenya. "Pending the hearing of the application, a conservatory order is hereby issued restraining the 1st Respondent, the Inspector General of the National Police Service, or any officer subordinate to him, from suspending Articles 37 and 39 of the Constitution by cancelling, disrupting, or interfering in any way with the right to assemble, protest, or picket while peaceful and unarmed," the court ruled.
The petition was brought forward by Katiba Institute, who argued that under Articles 23 of the Constitution the police's actions amounted to unlawful suspension of fundamental human rights.
A police roadblock at the Bunyala roundabout on Monday, July 7, 2025.
Photo @wabwoto On Monday, July 7, police mounted extensive roadblocks across all major routes leading to the Nairobi CBD, causing a complete shutdown While the security agencies claimed the roadblocks were necessary to pre-empt a third wave of anti-government protests, the court found the actions excessive and disproportionate. "The barbed wires, barricades and police blocks blocking citizens from accessing the Central Business District and its streets must be removed, save for a reasonable and limited perimeter around protected areas," Justice Mugambi ordered.
